Citation : Singh AR (2023) Your Effort Is Supreme, Not Bowing, or Appealing, To Someone.In :Ghalib, Psychology and Human Behaviour - 1 (A.R Singh and S.A Singh Eds), Mens Sana Monogr; 21:1.pg 40-41
نقش فریادی ہے کس کی شوخیٔ تحریر کا
کاغذی ہے پیرہن ہر پیکر تصویر کا
नक़्श फ़रियादी है किस की शोख़ी-ए-तहरीर का
काग़ज़ी है पैरहन हर पैकर-ए-तस्वीर का
naqsh fariyaadii hai kis kii shoKHi-e-tahriir kaa
kaaghzii hai pairahan har paikar-e-tasviir kaa
(DG 1:1:1)
Meaning
You are the picture of a complainant to
whose mirthful writing? Of paper are the dresses of every image’s face.
Explanation/Comment:
Looking at someone in great difficulty and praying fervently to God, Ghalib says:
You have become a complainant, a petitioner, to whom? To someone who wrote something in a moment of playful mirth – which became this world? (His ‘shokhi-e-tehreer’)?
In other words, you cannot appeal to God to relieve you of your
sorrow.
If at all, appeal to your inner strength and divinity.
Also, everyone you appeal to is wearing paper dresses. This refers to an ancient custom in Persia where anyone who had a complaint moved about wearing a paper dress. This news then reached the king, who would solve his problem.
But, what if the king himself wore a paper dress?
In other words, those whom you appeal to, are themselves busy appealing to others. What can they do for you?
To relieve your misery, appeal neither to God, nor God men, nor those in power.
There’s the strength of a God within you that needs to be awakened. That’s your only, and best, solution.